Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-01-04, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1989. Opinion Inspiration please One thing sure about 1989 is that there will be lots of talk about leadership with the federal Liberals, possibly the federal New Democrats, and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives all looking at the leadership of their parties. Let’s hope the parties can all find the kind of leaders that capture the imagination of the electorate. There is an absence of inspiring leaders in Canadian politics today, people who can make people think about the exciting possibilities of the future, about building a better country rather than settling for the inevitable. Even the firm supporters of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney would be hard pressed to make a case that he has captured the imaginations of Canadians. Canadians may have ceased to dislike and disbelieve Mr. Mulroney but the majority still haven’t embraced him as their ideal leader. Even the far-reaching change the Free Trade Agreement will bring wasn’t sold on the basis of the wonderful future it would bring but rather on the fear of American retaliation if we didn’t get involved in free trade. The one place where the Prime Minister looks good to most Canadians is in comparison with John Turner who may have been able to capture the support of the majority of Liberal Party members but never won the hearts or minds of Canadians in general. Ed Broadbent has often over the last four years been the most popular of leaders but only because of the dislike of Canadians for Mulroney and Turner. When he tried to run an election campaign on his popularity,, Canadians didn’t respond. In Ontario, while Premier David Peterson continues to be high in popularity, few could call him inspiring. He seems to have modelled himself after former Premier Bill Davis, to be so dull nobody will notice him and figure he must be doing a good job. There is an overpowering cynicism in Canada at the moment, a feeling that no matter what you doit doesn't make a difference. There is a danger that people may weaken in their own feelings about democracy. We need some leaders to come along who can make us feel they believe in something; that they are in politics to accomplish something more than getting re-elected. We need to know that while compromise is a great Canadian tradition, that while harmony between the different languages and regions of this country is to be sought, there are some basic principles that cannot be compromised for the sake of harmony such as some provinces have tried to do in denying rights to French speaking Canadians and which Quebec recently did to English Quebecers in saying only French can be used in store signs. There willbe strains ahead as Canada makes the sometimes painful adjustment to Free Trade and perhaps sees a resurgence of Quebec Nationalism. Canadians need leaders of dedication, vision and imagination to inspire us. Time to take stock It’s the time of year when people spend time looking back at last year and ahead at the coming year and making plans to make the new year better than the old. On a personal level, most people take the time to make resolutions designed tc improve themselves in the coming year. As a new year, either calender or fiscal, approaches for larger businesses, teams of top managers meet tomakeplansforthecomingyear. Larger governments at regional, provincial and federal levels, have study teams looking ahead at the future. But here in our small towns, where there is often most need for united action to keep communities vibrant, the beginning of a new year often means just putting up new calendars. Our municipal governments, with overworked staff and part-time councillors, spend most of their time tending to the things that must be done and have little time for looking down the road to see what could be done to make the community work better. Our businesses, particularly the retailers that make up the main business districts, usually remain absorbed in the day-to-day details of their own business and seldom take time to meet and put together ideas that might enliven the community. But if smaller communities are to survive the pressure from big business, government and consumers toward more and more centralization, more time must be given to finding collective solutions to our current problems and forging a path to the future. Now,at th ebeginning of a newyearisatimewhen community leaders must takea little time to think of the future of their communities. Sun on the water Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People inthe know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel 's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering So­ ciety. FRIDAY: With the year end here the talk this morning was first of all about how people were going to celebrate New Year’s then some­ body mentioned resolutions and everyone around the table admitted, some pretty grudgingly, their resol­ utions for the year. Ward Black said he’d promise not to complain about how hard it is to be a town councillor if everybody else would stop complaining that all the town council ever did was sit around and drink coffee between deciding how big their pay raise should be this year and which councillor’s street should get paved next. Tim said that was fine. It still left people lots of chance to complain about all the conventions the councillors went to and how they were always calling 15 minute special meetings they got half a day’s pay for. Well, said Ward, if that’s the way Tim was going to be, he’d make another resolution: not to fall off his chair laughing every time some new ‘ ‘ saviour’ ’ of the Liberal party put in an appearance nextyear. That he promised will be hard when the Liberal leadership candidates are like Jean Chretien who can only speak out of one side of his mouth and Sheila Copps who can talk out of bothsidesof her mouth, her nose and her ears at the same time but none of it’s printable. Tim said that he didn’t figure he’d have to listen to Ward laughing so much as he would crying the blues when theTories went down in the polls this year when the first bad effects of Free Trade came in and people began to wonder what they’ve done. “I promise,” he said, ‘‘not to say I told you so ... at least more than once a day”. Julia Flint said those two guys might help her keep her resolution for the year. She’d promised herself Continued on page 23 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario, by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $17.OO/yr ($38 00 Foreign). Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines Monday, 2 p m - Brussels, Monday, 4pm - Blyth We are not responsible for unsolicited newscriptsor photographs Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor& Publisher, Keith Roulston Advertising Manager, DaveWilliams Production Manager, Jill Roulston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968